1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a weight measurement device, a droplet discharge device, and a weight measurement method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device and method for conducting precise measurements without being affected by an air flow.
2. Related Art
In conventional practice, droplet discharge devices for discharging droplets by using an inkjet system are known as devices for discharging droplets onto a workpiece. A droplet discharge device comprises a carriage on which an inkjet head (hereinafter referred to as droplet-discharge head) is mounted, and a table for carrying and moving a substrate or another workpiece. Droplets are discharged onto the workpiece while the droplet-discharge head and the workpiece are moved relative to each other, thus coating the workpiece.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-209429 discloses a method for precisely controlling the discharged amount in this type of droplet discharge device. According to this method, a droplet discharge device coats a workpiece while controlling the sprayed amount of functional liquid by adjusting the discharged amount following a measurement of the amount discharged by a droplet-discharge head provided with a weight measurement device. Since the amount discharged by the droplet-discharge head is susceptible to the effects of the ambient temperature, the temperature of the droplet discharge device is controlled by creating a flow of a gas (air) whose temperature is controlled by an air control device.